Getting Started

Starting photography can feel a bit daunting — there’s gear, settings, terminology, and an endless stream of advice.

Whether you are new to photography or already a skilled master there is more to learn. Photography is a journey, not a destination. Photography is also an expensive hobby – and an even more expensive profession.

The first thing you need is a camera. Most likely you already have one – right there in your phone that you carry around with you. That is a powerful instrument and can get you started into your photography journey. There are many free resources to get you going.

In time you will want a dedicated camera. That will be a major expense. You can spend from hundreds to thousands of dollars on your first camera. You will add more gear as you go on and the spending continues.

To learn the skills, you can use many approaches. There are more ways than ever to learn photography. Online resources from free tutorials to structured courses let you learn at your own pace and revisit concepts as needed. You can look to your local library, a nearby camera club, or a community college class. Learning with others — sharing images and getting feedback — can quickly sharpen both your skills and your eye.

You can use any of these resources, and it is recommended that you do so before you get started with mentoring here at Vidi Academy. Indeed, you will be asked to take advantage of those resources during your mentoring journey.

In your favorite search engine just ask “where can I learn photography” and you will get a list of resources. Free ones as well as expensive ones. The free ones are fine but may be confusing and not well structured.

Also search “camera clubs near me” or “photo clubs near me” for local photography interest groups. It is a good idea to join such a club. You will meet fellow photography enthusiasts and be inspired by their work. Such clubs also provide many learning recourses. There usually is a modest membership fee and workshops may require a payment.

For getting into a mentored program here at Vidi Academy there are more requirements. Here is a short initial list:

You will need:

A camera – your phone will do just fine
An online place for your photos – you already have one if you have a phone
An email account – you most likely have one
A personal website – more on this below
A computer – most folks use laptops and they cost anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars.
A photo editing app.

Since you got to this website you have already either a phone or a computer with internet access.

You can purchase a phone, a camera, a computer from a local electronics stores such as Micro Center or at general stores like Target. Many people get what they need from Amazon. There are also specialized retailers that cater to photographers such as B&H.

There are many photo editing apps available. Most photographers use Adobe Photoshop. Photoshop is subscription based (about $20 per month or more). We recommend a less expensive approach. Our preferred app (used here at Vidi Academy) is PhotoPaint Pro which is a one-time purchase (less than $100). You download the app to your computer.

When you sign up for mentoring here at Vidi Academy you will also need a WordPress account. Such an account is free and there are paid accounts – we recommend that you start with a free account, you can upgrade later if you wish to make it into a full professional personal website.

Any website needs a “domain name”. You get a free personal website with any WordPress account, but the domain name will be something like yourname.wordpress.com. If you want a more professional looking internet address you need to register a unique name and pay an annual fee (usually less than $20). You can opt to do that when you set up your WordPress account – or at some time later.

To get started go to WordPress.com. You will be guided step by step. We recommend that you choose the free options.

Vidi Academy Mentoring

To get started with mentoring here go to the Mentoring page. You will learn the cost there. There you will be asked to start by submitting an “interest survey”. There is no cost for that initial step.

Good luck on your journey into photography.